Understanding and Reducing Conflict over the Recreational Use of Rivers

Abstract

The societal benefits of having greater access to rivers are numerous, but conflict sometimes ensues between recreational users. Using Wales as a case example, we conducted a survey to better understand the underlying beliefs and emotions of different river users in relation to river access. Sixty per cent of respondents felt there was conflict over river access, but perceptions differed with age and river usage. Most boaters wanted greater access to rivers, in stark contrast to anglers. Greater dialogue was highlighted as a necessary step to reduce conflict, but support for specific management actions such as usage tariffs, spatial or temporal zoning, or limiting the number of users were much less popular. River users differed in cooperativeness and assertiveness but consistently flagged water pollution as the most important factor detracting from their enjoyment of rivers. Sentiment analysis indicated that “trust” was the dominant emotion shared by all river users.